1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electronic device, more particularly to an electronic device capable of preventing electronic data theft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Risk of computer data leaks is rising due to an increasing number of Trojan horse programs and increasing ingenuity of hacker intrusions. In view of this, software and hardware manufacturers, through a joint effort, have popularized a technical specification for information security protection known as a Trusted Platform Module (TPM).
In notebook computers, the TPM specification is commonly implemented as an internal chip. However, to meet consumer needs, the TPM specification can also be implemented as a removable daughter card for a personal computer, known as a TPM daughter card. The consumer in need of TPM function to protect electronic information can therefore choose to purchase separately the TPM daughter card, while a consumer not in need of the TPM function is spared an unnecessary cost.
The above-described TPM daughter card effectively supports the TPM function, protecting electronic data from being read by the Trojan horse program or the hacker. However, if the computer is stolen, a thief only needs to open a case of the computer and apply force to remove the TPM daughter card. As a result, the computer promptly loses protection provided by the TPM daughter card, exposing proprietary information to misuse.
In order to prevent data leakage resulting from loss of the TPM daughter card, software can be configured to prevent access to the electronic data on detecting removal of the TPM daughter card, or a locking mechanism for locking the TPM daughter card to a motherboard can be created. However, software is easily bypassed, and however secure the locking mechanism, it is always possible to apply a greater force to remove or destroy the TPM daughter card. It would thus still be possible to circumvent the electronic data protection provided by the TPM daughter card. Moreover, implementing the locking mechanism for protecting the TPM daughter card increases the cost of the motherboard.